Golden Goddess
by TheQuietAwakening
Summary: Death. It is inevitable for any living being. When Hedwig faces her own demise, she finds that it is not an end, but a beginning. - Written for QLFC Round 11


**Round 11 – Love Them or Hate Them**

**Team - Wimbourne Wasps**

**Chaser 1 – A character gains immense powers**

**Optional prompts – (dialogue) "I don't go looking for trouble, but I do enjoy befriending it.", (colour) emerald green, (colour) burnt gold.**

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Death.

Humans always seemed to be afraid of it, to dread it, to be sad about it, to cause so much misery in order to defy it. Death was the terrifying puzzle no one had ever been able to solve, even though oh so many had tried. Hedwig had watched as her human companion struggled through the multifaceted concept of this inevitable fate. Harry had dealt with the loss of his parents, of his godfather, had faced death himself on multiple occasions, mostly due to a madman's obsession with avoiding his own mortality. Hedwig too had considered the fate of her friend. He seemed to attract trouble from every which way, and death seemed to always be there, waiting for the proper moment to take him away.

Hedwig hadn't thought much about her own death, though. It seemed to bring far too much worry and grief to the humans who focused on it. It wasn't as though one could avoid their fate forever; destiny always had a way of working out in the end, just how it was supposed to.

When the destined night arrived for Hedwig's physical demise, it was not the most unexpected occurrence. Being a companion of Harry Potter did have that effect, though she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. The moment the Killing Curse had impacted her body, Hedwig simply felt her life slip from her earthly form. It wasn't painful like some had speculated. It was like falling — falling from a height so high that she knew she would never hit the ground. And it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

The darkness came quickly, pulling her into an emptiness, a void where she continued to fall. She fell, and fell some more, until suddenly, it occurred to her that she may not be falling at all but going up. And she felt something deep inside—if she still had an inside that is. Something was changing, but she couldn't quite place what. There was a tickling sensation in her feet—if she still had feet—and the tip of her beak which she may or may not still have was tingling. Soon, the feeling spread, growing more intense. It was a buzzing which emanated through her.

Suddenly, the strange feeling faded away, leaving her in a state of bewilderment, floating in the darkness. But the darkness, as well, began to change. There was something beneath her, soft, but growing firmer, until it became solid ground. And a sound caught her attention, barely audible. Hedwig focused on it as it gradually became louder. Still only a soft whisper, she could now make out that it was a voice. The voice wasn't unhuman-like, but there was also something different about it. Whoever it was, they were murmuring her name.

"_Hedwig." _

Maybe she hadn't died after all. Hedwig considered the possibility that she had been mistaken about her fate.

"_Hedwig."_

No, she was hit with a curse which no one, other than Harry, had ever survived.

"_Hedwig. Awaken," _the strange voice commanded.

How could she awaken when she was already dead? Hedwig was perplexed but felt her stomach flutter with curiosity.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, astounded to see the bright light flooding her senses. The world around her was quite blurry at first, but quickly, the fogginess cleared, and she found that she was laying in the very centre of an extravagant room.

Green.

The ceiling was a dark green circled by lighter toned walls. Large pillars towered above her, embellished with glittering stones of emerald.

Hedwig had never experienced the sight of a colour before. She had heard Harry and his friends speak of such a phenomenon and had longed to one day see it too. Hedwig noticed that her vision itself was a bit less defined, but the colour was spectacular. She sat up, staring around her in awe.

"_Hedwig." _It was the voice again. "_You will find that your new form is full of surprises." _The voice seemed almost amused by her amazement.

Wait. New form?

Hedwig glanced down, shocked to see, no longer the body of an owl, but of a human. She lifted her hands in front of her face, carefully inspecting every inch. She had fingers, and a thumb, and those strange lines on the palm. She had wrists and arms, and a whole body to match. Her legs were lean and long, extending far beyond where they used to be. Hedwig wiggled the little toes which were attached to the ends of her feet and found herself smiling with wonder. Smiling. Gently she brushed her fingers over her face to find lips and a nose instead of a beak.

But how was any of this possible?

"_You have been chosen,_" the voice answered her thoughts. "_There is a boy who is in grave danger. He must succeed for the world to go on as it has been foreseen. This boy has been a difficult one to predict, his life course constantly changing. But you have been chosen for an essential mission of protection."_

Hedwig struggled to understand what the voice was meaning. Was it talking about Harry? If so, she was only an owl. Surely there were others more powerful than she who be better suited for the task.

"_It must be you." _The voice continued. "_You are now more powerful than you could have ever imagined. Only you can guide Harry Potter to his destined victory. He must survive until that time."_

Power, what power could she have? She had just been killed. Hedwig had been a great owl, she could admit to that, but she was nothing more.

"_Your wings will take you where you need to go," _the voice explained.

Slowly, Hedwig extended her wings, now turned a glorious burnt gold colour, and ruffled her feathers in amazement.

"_The feathers that used to cover your flesh have become a powerful concealment, hiding you from human sight. The friendship you carried with you here is a bond that will last forever between the boy and yourself, even if he is not aware of that connection. You will not be able to directly interact with those on Earth, but the elements are at your side. Use them to aid in their quest. Use them to protect Harry Potter. Use them to ensure destiny is enacted."_

So, she could go back? She could see Harry again?

"_Indeed. You and the boy always seemed to find trouble. Now, it is your job to see that trouble does not find him." _

"I don't go looking for trouble," she told the voice, "but I do enjoy befriending it."

Harry may frequently run into trouble, may be too thick-headed to see the trouble he is seeking out, may himself be trouble, but he was a friend that Hedwig would always love. And now, she would help him. Even though he might never know she was still there, she would protect him until the end.

Hedwig stood up, testing out her new legs, and grinned. It was as though this was who she was meant to be. Once a weak and small owl, now a powerful golden goddess, Hedwig was ready for whatever trouble might await.

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**Huge thanks to my lovely teammate Hemlockonium for beta'ing!**


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